Saturday, October 10, 2026
THIS WEEK ON THE PODCAST
THE RESTON MUSEUM PREVIEWS THE OCT. 17 HOME TOUR
One of the six homes on next Saturday's Reston Home Tour has a room built to take the wrinkles out of clothes, so its owner never irons. Lisa Watts, executive director of the Reston Museum, told us about it when she joined us for this week's episode, from the opening banter to the last trivia question.
Lisa previewed the tour, the museum's largest fundraiser, and talked about the archive the museum keeps on Lake Anne Plaza, from Bob Simon's land purchase to the construction at Reston Station. We sell homes in Reston and Herndon, and the tour is one day a year when neighbors can walk through other Restonians' renovations.
You can watch the full episode or jump to the parts that interest you below.
QUICK HITS
FROM THE TOP OF THE EPISODE
Ebbitt House beat Dogfish Head Alehouse on our openings panel
Lisa picked Ebbitt House at Reston Station for a drink at the bar. Clyde's Restaurant Group now says it opens in early November. Dogfish Head Alehouse at Reston Town Center is still aiming for October.
The Shop at Potter's Union opened on Oct. 1
Paola Lluberas and Jennie Persson, two Reston neighbors, opened Potter's Union as a pottery studio in Herndon last fall. Kathy says their new shop opened Oct. 1.
Reston Farm Garden Market fries its cider donuts on site
The market at 10800 Baron Cameron Ave. sells apple cider donuts by the half dozen and runs its kids' Fall Fun Fest on weekends through Oct. 31, plus Monday, Oct. 12. The famous donut at the Apple House in Linden is an apple butter cinnamon donut, so the matchup is two different recipes.
THE BIG IDEAS
SIX RESTON HOMES OPEN ON OCT. 17, WITH STOPS AT THE WINE CABINET AND WALKER NATURE CENTER
The Reston Museum's 24th Reston Home Tour runs Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The homes aren't for sale. Their owners volunteer them to support the museum, a grassroots nonprofit that pays for its free programs partly with tour proceeds.
Lisa described the range: one owner did nearly all the craftsmanship himself, another had a company renovate the house from top to bottom, and a third built a room that steams wrinkles out of clothes. The museum releases addresses to ticket holders the week before.
Two stops aren't homes. The Wine Cabinet is pouring free tastings, and the Walker Nature Center is hosting a reception with programs on planting and eco-friendly yards. Lisa says Kendra Scott at Reston Town Center will give tour-goers 15% off and donate 20% of those sales to the museum. ChalkFest fills Market Street the same day.
Tickets are $40 online plus a booking fee, which the museum waives at its Lake Anne location. Docents get a free ticket for their shift.
ALSO ON THE EPISODE
THE RESTON MUSEUM HOLDS A BOURBON NIGHT IN NOVEMBER AND A MAP OF EVERY STREET
The museum sits at 1639 Washington Plaza North on Lake Anne Plaza, and admission is free. Visitors count their way across its topographic map of Reston to find their own houses.
On Nov. 18, the museum and Reston Community Center hold a program on the history of bourbon in Virginia with A. Smith Bowman Distillery, which made Virginia Gentleman in Reston before moving to Fredericksburg. Lisa hopes to add a tasting.
Lisa says Simon expected about 80,000 residents by the 1980s. Someone who spoke with him told her his advice was "don't build boring buildings." Her trivia answer closed the show: Lake Audubon was first named Lake Elsa, for Simon's mother.
WHY WE'RE WATCHING THIS
RESTON BUILT ITS HOMES AND PARKS FIRST AND ITS OFFICES LATER
Simon built Reston on "live, work, play." The live and play parts arrived early, with Lake Anne, the pools and the trails. The work part took longer, and employers at Reston Station and Reston Town Center are filling it in now.
The museum keeps a record of each stage. The Home Tour shows what Restonians did with the houses from the first one.
THE PODCAST
SUBSCRIBE AND FOLLOW ALONG
We put out a new episode every week on openings, public meetings and the people who keep Reston and Herndon running. We're adding local guests every other week. Pick your app and follow along.
FROM GREATER RESTON LIVING AT COMPASS
Wondering how these changes touch your street?
If you're thinking about a move, or trying to work out which part of Reston or Herndon fits you best, we'll walk through it with you. No pressure either way.
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Reston Insider is written by Kathy and Graham Tracey of Greater Reston Living at Compass, and you can call or text us at (703) 231-7049.
Compass, 11943 Democracy Drive, Reston, VA 20190 | (703) 783-7485
